Brother Burglar
by Revontuli
Summary: When Edward brings Bella home for the first time, not everyone is happy. While her family is overjoyed, Rosalie seems to be the only being in the house to perceive the truth. Originally written for the Cullen Oneshot Challenge of twilightarchives.


_This short, strange story was my entry for the Oneshot Cullen Challenge of twilightarchives. Amazingly, it got picked second._

_It takes place during Twilight, when Bella is visiting the Cullens for the first time. It includes some of the original dialogue (Stephenie Meyer owns all, never forget), but the scene is told from Rosalie's POV, who is sitting in her own, dark room with Emmett and listening to the commotion downstairs. The whole story is actually about her thoughts on the subject of Edward's new human girlfriend._

x-x-x-x

It was unfair.

More than unfair – Edward was being utterly _cruel_. He knew well enough how this new family member made me feel, yet he chose to torment me.

Had I not always been a good sister? I had respected his longing for privacy, let him read my mind, been fairly friendly, and eventually even grown to like him. Where was this sudden hostility coming from?

_What right did he have to bring her home?_

This was _our_ sanctuary, the only place on earth where we could be what we were. Our concealed bubble for those cursed in the human-dominated world. The Cullen mansion was a place for _vampires_.

And she was human.

I could smell her floral scent from downstairs, feel the call of blood crawl up my nostrils. It was inviting me to taste its warm composition of sweetness…

The ultimate revenge on the brother who'd deceived me - I should drink this pathetic human dry of the blood that so enticed him.

From somewhere downstairs, a hushed growl reached my ears, along with the sugar sweet voice of my younger sister. "You do smell nice, I never noticed before."

Hilarious. The call of her blood was strong, no doubt – But so was every human being's. Edward had exaggerated greatly with his description of the overwhelming fragrance of Bella's life nectar. It was no more special than everything else about her.

_Bella_. Who could give such a name to someone so undeserving? _Beautiful_. Isabella Swan was no more beautiful than anyone else in Forks. _I_ was beautiful. _I_ would do the name justice.

A new voice was distinguishable from the living room – Jasper was now greeting the newcomer. In my scorn, I imagined him losing control while being with her. How would Edward react if his own brother was the cause of his precious Bella's death? Would he ever learn to forgive that act?

Jasper was making a big effort. Another reason for why Edward was being unjust – Home had been the only safe place for my newest brother, the only place where his lack of self-control didn't bother him continuously. Now Bella had arrived, and Jasper had lost his refuge.

_You egoistic, pitiless MONSTER!_

I knew he was listening. He was _always_ listening. Always intruding on the privacy of those around him, taking in their personal thoughts that were never meant for his ears. Already there my dear brother showed his true colors, his selfishness.

How long would it take for the girl to notice the monster she was in love with?

_In love_. Pah! Humans knew nothing of love.

A scornful smile spread across my flawless lips.

She knew nothing. Nothing at all.

"Are you not going to say hello to Bella, dearest?" Emmett noticed the shift in my expression, and laid his large hand over my cheek. "Everyone else is there."

_Et tu, Brute?_ "No."

He furrowed his brows, but said nothing more.

I could see the longing in his eyes – My traitor for a husband truly wished to meet this human girl. He was contemplating joining the rest of the family downstairs, greeting the intruder that we had joyfully opened our doors for.

On one side, he wished to meet her. On the other, he was afraid of my reaction.

And I was losing the battle unless I took action.

"You can go, if you really want to." I kept my voice detached, cold, while snatching his hand away from my face.

"Rose…" Emmett took my wrists and drew me closer to his equally cold body.

"No, really. Just leave me alone if you want to see Bella. I understand."

"I'm not going anywhere." he said, and then lightly kissed me on the forehead. I closed my eyes at the sensation of his wet lips against my granite skin. Marble on marble, ice on ice.

I let Emmett cradle me, while simultaneously loathing the manipulative tone in my voice. I was being unjust and cruel towards the only man who still stood at my side, now that the others had crossed to the enemy's troops. Instead of rewarding him for his loving loyalty, I was punishing him with my behavior.

Perhaps I was too tenacious, after all. Maybe I was being too harsh.

My for once kind thoughts vanished when the sound of music began drifting from downstairs.

Edward was playing for his toy, and by the sound of her increasing heartbeat, I could tell it was the first time she was listening.

The perfect harmony of the tune brought me to my past. The notes melted into each other; the keys were pressed down with obsessive care and enjoyment, just like every evening at the Cullen manor. Emmett and I lay in bed, kissing each other and taking pleasure in the simple fact of having one another, while every other couple did the same. Alice had Jasper, Carlisle had Esme.

And Edward had his music.

But now his flawless playing was different.

Though the notes hadn't changed from the last time I'd heard them, there was a new passion, a new vigor in the melody. It flowed more naturally, more freely than ever before, and I could almost sense his elation as he played Esme's favorite.

And then the notes shifted into another composition.

I vaguely remembered this song – Had Edward not composed it after his first meeting with the girl who now filled the house with her scent? Hadn't he called this… her lullaby?

"You inspired this one." My suspicions were confirmed.

A trace of a salty aroma filled my nostrils.

_A tear?_

I then noticed why Edward's music had changed.

It wasn't the main thing in his life anymore. Music was a trivial matter beside his newly found love.

"This is so wrong." I whispered in my agony. Emmett tightened his hold.

"He's happy now."

"But she took away his _music_, don't you see?"

"No, love – She replaced it."

I wiped away the tear that should have appeared on my cheek.

He showed her everything.

Each new room they visited, each new detail of our lives that he revealed to her wounded me deeper.

Blow after blow.

She showed herself curious, fascinated by our true identities. Did she not see how dreary our lives were? Did she not perceive the darkness that hung over our house?

Did she not understand?

_Make her understand!_

No matter how many times I repeated my plea, Edward never took any notice. I began questioning if he was listening, after all, but quickly erased that thought from my mind. He was always listening, _always._

_I know you're listening._

And suddenly – A growl broke the deep silence of the house. A gasp. Frantic breathing.

My hopes were raised too early. No, here came her voice – "That you are a very, very terrifying monster."

_Ah, I see. You made her understand._

They had invited her to our baseball game.

Had all my torment in the last few hours not been enough? Was it their general wish to torture me?

"How could they?" I whispered into Emmett's arm, the only thing soothing me in my pain.

Bella was taking away my family, my home… and now my fun? She was ripping away everything that had ever meant something to me. And what did it leave me – The leftovers?

"Rose, please. It's all right. Bella's not a bad person."

And because I loathed her, _I _was a bad person?

The upcoming storm wouldn't bring the only thunder my family would hear.

"She's ruining _everything_."

How was that fair, in any way? Isabella Swan _had_ everything – A family, a good base to start a life on, a beating heart… Yet she coveted from those who had nothing left.

"Vampires like baseball?" she asked innocently from the distant room.

"It's the American pastime," my brother mocked our hobbies.

So now that he had his human, he was better than the monsters he lived with?

_Well, let me tell you – Your girlfriend is a monster, too._

We were demons, yet we struggled to be good. Bella was an angel, yet her actions were for the cursed.

_She covets._

What had she taken?

Our sanctuary.

My brother's music.

The hours of fun my family shared.

My peace of mind.

"She covets." I spoke out loud, letting everyone in the house hear what I had long recognized.

They'd all heard me; my whole family was now in possession of the truth.

"I have to get home. Charlie is probably worried about me already."

All but one.

The human heartbeat grew fainter.

_Why ruin it all - For you and for me?_

_Never covet from vampires, my dear._


End file.
